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I loved A Deal with the Elf King which was the first book in this “series”. Each book is technically standalone but they all happen in the same universe, roughly around the same time. A Dance with the Fae Prince was inspired by Psyche and Eros as well as Cinderella. While I didn’t exactly see the Psyche and Eros theme while reading the book, you definitely get the Cinderella vibes. A girl whose father marries someone before dying an untimely death, only for the stepmother and sister to treat her like a servant before she is “rescued” by a prince. Only there’s more to the tale than that.
Synopsis
Cinderella meets THE CRUEL PRINCE in this stand-alone fantasy romance about a human girl and her marriage to the prince of the fae.
She knew her hand in marriage would be sold. She had no idea a fae prince was the buyer.
Katria swore she’d never fall in love. She’s seen what “love” means through the cruelty of her family. So when she’s married off to the mysterious Lord Fenwood for a handsome price, all Katria wants is a better life than the one she’s leaving. Feelings are off the table.
But her new husband makes not falling in love difficult.
As their attraction begins to grow, so too do the oddities within her new life: strange rules, screams in the night, and attacks by fae that Katria never thought were real. When she witnesses a ritual not meant for human eyes, Katria finds herself spirited away to the land of Midscape.
Surviving the fae wilds as a human is hard enough. Katria must survive as a human who accidently pilfered the magic of ancient kings – magic a bloodthirsty king is ready to kill her for in order to keep his stolen throne – and her new husband is the rightful heir in hiding.
The power to save the fae is in her hands. But who will save her from a love she vowed never to feel?
Book Details
- Published: August 19, 2021
- Page Count: 344 pages
- Genre: YA Dark Fantasy, Romance
Thoughts on A Dance with the Fae Prince
There is more to Katria than meets the eye. The story is told from her perspective much like A Deal with the Elf King was from Luella’s POV. She is treated cruelly by her stepmother and sister after her father dies. She has to do all the chores and repairs around the manor and is moved to a room that has fallen into disrepair. Her stepmother decides to marry her off to a rich suitor in order to pay for the estate. This suitor doesn’t come to make the deal but sends his butler on his behalf. Instead of the false dowry that Katria’s stepmother purposes, they only ask for a book that belonged to Katria’s mother. This immediately told me a few things within the first few chapters of the book even though this is part of the twist later in the book. I won’t spoil what those things are, but I had it pegged right away from the beginning. Even though one piece of it still managed to surprise me in the end. Or at least, I didn’t figure that final piece of the twist until the final chapters.
Once Katria is taken away she is given a few rules to follow. She cannot look at her husband, she cannot leave the grounds of the castle, she must stay out of 2/3rds of the castle, and she cannot go out of her wing after dark regardless of what she hears. Which she basically follows. Though she does talk to her husband over evening drinks with her back to him or blindfolded. Here is where the two start to develop their relationship, as well as when she plays the lyre. Something that her husband notes are quite good, and later reveals to be ancient Fae songs.
The story takes a turn out of Cinderella territory when Katria discovers a ritual after getting a note from her husband that the castle was hers in the event he never returns. She breaks the rules to go after him, only to learn he’s Fae. Not only that but he destroys her mother’s book in the ritual, which results in her going into the fire after it and absorbing the ancient powers of the old Kings. From here they cross over into Midscape, where she learns her husband’s name is Davien, who is the last heir to the Aviness bloodline through marriage, and thus has a claim to the glass crown that should be his by birthright along with the power that Katria absorbed. He wants to get the magic transferred out of her, so he can reclaim the kingdom from an individual that kills anyone that might be an Aviness or opposes his rule.
Over time, Katria and Davien grow closer. Katria usually holding back from the blooming relationship after years of cruelty that has wrapped her sense of self-worth and love. But despite that, the two fall for each other. Even if their marriage isn’t real in Midscape, since it only lasted until they left the natural world. Katria eventually admits to loving Davien in return after they manage to survive and save the Fae Kingdom. This is shortly before Katria discovers truths she repressed for many years regarding herself and her birth mother. This leaves Midscape in an interesting position considering humans other than Luella shouldn’t be able to survive there.
I’m curious what the third book is going to bring. It’s called A Duel with the Vampire Lord, coming out in August 2022 and it’s going to have a Snow White meets From Blood and Ash vibe. Also, the bonus chapter hints at the next book and what it means for Katria even though she most likely won’t be featured in it since each book is standalone.
Overall, I would give A Dance with the Fae Prince a 3.75 out of 5-star rating. There were a lot of sweet moments and a lot of action in the pages. I couldn’t put this book down while I read it. I can’t wait for the next book to come out, and I have plans to read the Air Awakens series by Elise Kova eventually as I enjoy this author’s writing. I wouldn’t put this book in a 4-star rating mostly as I don’t think I’ll end reading it a hundred times. But I seriously recommend this book if you like darker fairy tales and a bit of romance. The sex scenes are by no mean spicy but they also aren’t fade to black in case that’s something you’re looking for in a book.
Love ya,
Mae Polzine
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